Dido and Aeneas performance program
Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble and Youth Opera Program proudly presents Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.
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Director's Note
As a director, I have always been conscious about the messages being broadcast by my productions. With this opera, especially because of working with a youth ensemble, I didn’t want Dido’s end to come about purely because of suicidal heartbreak. So, I drew from the original myths, stories about her first husband, and how his death impacted her reign and used that to add a political shape to the opera. I wanted to focus on the strength, depth, and complexity of the characters. Looking at the alliance between Aeneas and Dido as more than a love match adds another layer to both his exit and her reaction to it.
Kate Millett
Director
Conductor's Note
We don’t know much about Dido and Aeneas’ origins, but we do know it was performed at a girl’s school in London before 1689, so it is fitting that we continue that tradition of performing it with young people. It is the perfect work for VOYCE in that its demands on young voices are not too great (Dido aside) but it provides plenty of musical challenges. The angular dance rhythms and florid passages for the chorus and the declamatory style of the recitative with its freer rhythms for the soloists are just some of the tricky aspects of what can sound like a simple score. On top of this they must vocally and emotionally characterise being courtiers, witches and ‘boozy’ sailors and switch from comedy to the greatest tragedy. Purcell has left us with a precious jewel in what is a very small English opera repertoire and I think he we would be very chuffed with how the young folk of 2023 are rising to his challenges
Angus Grant
Conductor
Synopsis
Based mainly on Book IV of Virgil’s Aeneid, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas opens with Dido wrestling with her feelings for Aeneas, a refugee prince from the recently fallen Troy, and her duties as Queen of Carthage, following the death of her husband. Her people are growing restless, they do not see her as an effective leader. Encouraged by her handmaiden, Belinda, Dido gives in to her feelings and agrees to marry Aeneas, knowing that this alliance would also strengthen her position.
Meanwhile, a sorceress is plotting the downfall of Carthage and its queen, using her power to summon a storm to separate the lovers, as well as sending a spirit disguised as the Roman messenger god, Mercury to trick Aeneas into leaving Carthage forever. As Dido leaves to take shelter, the spirit tells Aeneas that Jupiter himself commands him to continue his journey to Italy and found a new Troy. Aeneas believes he has no choice but to prepare for his departure. The Sorceress celebrates her triumph and plans to destroy him entirely once he is on the ocean.
Aeneas tells Dido about Jupiter’s command, offering to defy the gods and stay for love. She reprimands him, reminding him of his duty, and so Aeneas leaves. With Aeneas gone, Dido can see her reign is doomed, sings her last aria and succumbs to the mob that has gathered outside her throne room.
Creative Team
Conductor Angus Grant
Director Kate Millett
Phoebe Briggs Head of Music
Lighting Design Robert Brown
Artwork Sarah Jackson
Costume Manager Mel Serjeant
Production Team
Education Manager Tim Ryan
Head of Production Daniel Gosling
Production Manager Audrey Morgan
Stage Manager Lucie Sutherland
Production Coordinators Guinevere Rose & Stephen Marsh
Cast
Dido Kate Pengelly
Aeneas Lucas Calzado-Yubero
Belinda Genevieve Gray
Second Woman Leah Stange
Sorceress Isabella Hincksman
Witch 1 Ruby Streit
Witch 2 Lauren Ryan-Green
Spirit Messenger Tahlia Walker
Sailor Martyn Arends
Covers
Dido Isabella Hincksman
Aeneas Xavier Grindlay
Belinda Ruby Streit
Second Woman Alexis King
Sorceress Lauren Ryan-Green
Witch 1 Hannah Simos-Garner
Witch 2 Madison Adams
Spirit Messenger Alexis King
Sailor Joshua Simos-Garner
Chorus
Madison Adams, Zoe Bunny, Oliver Clarke, Lucy Diggerson, Ella Doljanin, James Dong, Xavier Grindlay, Julian Howes, Martha Ickeringill, Caleb Jarcevic, Alexis King, Callum Orr, Alessia Panella, Krysti Phelan, Ellen Reddell, Santrix Redston, Ethan Rowe, Tess Shilson-Josling, Joshua Simos-Garner, Hannah Simos-Garner, Paola Sita, Zara Tonon, Thanh Vu, Eliza Walker, Chris White, Hannah Wolfe.
Musicians
Piano Tom Griffiths
Keyboard Phoebe Briggs
Cello Rosanne Hunt*
Recorder Leyland Jones
Repetiteurs Phoebe Briggs, Tom Griffiths, Daniel Tusjak
*Cello player Rosanne Hunt’s appearance is generously supported by Emeritus Professor Barbara Van Ernst
With thanks to our venue partner, The University of Melbourne, Professor Richard Kurth, Susan Bird (Engagement and Partnerships Manager, Fine Arts and Music) and Tia Wojcik (Production Manager).
We acknowledge the generous support of Sam Harding and Star of the Sea College, Brighton
